Do herb species matter in magick?
Do herb species matter in magick?
I'm making a magick summoning oil and don't know what species of the herbs I should be useing in general. Two herbs the oil recipe calls for are alder and birch, yet what species of them? Both of these herbs have one GENUS and one FAMILY yet there are multiple species within their genus and family. Example with alder do all species have the same power s/properties? Another example does (Pacific yew) raise the spirits of thee dead the same as (Common yew), its all yew but different species of it does it even matter? :'(
Answer this Question Below
(click "Add a New Comment" at the bottom)
Herb species absolutely always matter in culinary and medicinal applications. However, in magick, it's not always so specific. To use a fictional example from the Discworld Witches by the late Sir Terry Pratchett: Granny knows that the type of plant isn't that important, that's one reason she's a better witch than Magrat. Magrat thinks the specific type of plant is important, that's why she's a better doctor than Granny.
It can often be difficult to know exactly what species of herb a spell calls for as the person writing it down is probably just using what grows nearby and unless you know where they live, you can't always know what that is. So, you must make do with what you have and perhaps experiment a little. But magic-users do not classify plants the same way botanists do. Botanists describe plants according to their reproductive strategies- the shape of their flowers, fruits, etc. but magic-users describe plants according to their energies, and describe these by way of planetary and elemental correspondences. If you can discern what the purpose of the plant is in a spell and attune yourself to that energy, you may be able to find a replacement plant that nearly matches that energy and it may be a closely related species, or it might not. You can begin your search by determining the planetary energy of the plant and looking among other plants with similar energies. Of course, there's always the possibility that there is simply no substitute.
So, the answer to your question is this. Sometimes it matters. Sometimes it doesn't. If the different species have similar histories, qualities, growing habits, toxicities, fragrance, then you should have no trouble using the readily available species over the harder to get one. If you have no idea which species is required, you have to figure out the purpose of the plant in the spell and go from there.
The example of yew; the common yew has an incredibly rich and detailed history. It has thousands of years of Western tradition behind it and that makes it more suited to European-based magic associated with the dead than the Pacific yew. It may be that the Pacific yew also has thousands of years of tradition behind it, but it would be different Native American tradition and I would want to know more about it before I used it. The common yew is also more toxic and long-lived, which further associates it with death and rebirth. You could probably use the Pacific yew for some things, especially considering it is a safer, less toxic (but not non-toxic) alternative, but I am not sure I'd trust it to trap a soul. However, if you decide it's going to work, it's going to work better than it would if you're not sure.
Regarding birch- For wood, I would say most species of birch can be used for most purposes. They are, for the most part, quick-growing pioneer species that form colonies. Paper birch is often called upon for its bark, but other birches bark has similar properties with darker color, so you just have to use an ink that'll show up. However, I must point out that removing the bark damages the tree though bark that has fallen away naturally can be found. When burning for incense or creating oils, some species (subspecies Betulenta) are preferred due to their higher concentration of fragrant resins. (I am personally not a fan of the scent, but each their own.)
Alder is an interesting one because the common name alder is sort of all over the place. Can these other common-named alders that aren't actually Alnus spp be used in place of alder? I don't know. I would have to get to know the plants involved and I do not. As for the various species within Alnus/, I am sure some of them can. I wouldn't use a shrub in place of a tree or an upland species in place of a water-loving species, but all other things being equal, I'd go for it.
Replied in second comment sorry.
I asked the author of the summoning oil recipe what species of alder should I use. All he said was that the herb needs to be powdered and dried before being put into the oil and also that (alder is alder), I guess that means I can use any species right?
Wait. I thought all species within a same family and genus had the same magickal planetary/elemental rulers. That's how Scott Cunningham's magickal herbs book explained it. He list white clover and read clover (2 different species) all under (Trifolium spp.) with the same magickal rulers and powers?
Then I would say you can use any species of alder in that spell.
And, while I love Cunningham, his books aren't perfect. Yes, many closely related species have the same rulers and powers, but certainly not all of them. I personally grow white clover and red clover for different purposes. Both are protective, but red is better relationships and mommas and babies and has a more feminine quality while white is for general luck, property and money. They are really quite different plants in energy and form. While others might disagree with me, I would say that red clover is Venusian and white Mercurian. That being said, I still think a skilled magic-user can make do with whatever.